Team size:  14  

 
Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?  

We focused on developing resource persons for various speciality areas within the team, each one of them specialising in their assigned area, apart from their respective day-to-day jobs. The resource person doubles up as a trainer, troubleshooter, or friend to the other team members facing a topic in that area. This is based on the simple premise that it is neither possible nor necessary for everyone to drink deep every spring, but it is useful to have internal subject matter experts as the first line of defence.    

What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?  

I manage a team of lawyers, compliance officers and contract managers. Among other things, the team has been engaged in significant dispute resolution matters, resulting in some positive outcomes. We have also been managing various stages of several high-value contracts with clients, subcontractors, and vendors, across the Indian subcontinent. On the compliance side, we recently deployed two extremely useful tools for compliance management and due diligence.  

If you had to give advice to an aspiring in-house lawyer or general counsel, what would it be and why?  

Three suggestions which are commonly known, and I am in full agreement with, are the following. Get acquainted with the business side; keep yourself updated with the latest developments in law, compliances, and legal tech; and be ready to work hard to succeed in the in-house role.  

In the last ten years, I have noticed a significant change in the way the in-house legal team works and is looked at. We have been called upon to work very closely with business functions and even to take up more operational responsibilities, largely because of our role in identifying, mitigating, and addressing complex risks intertwined with business.  

So, if you are a general counsel or an in-house lawyer today, or you aspire to be one someday, this new level of expectation may take a toll on your time and energy. In-house lawyers and general counsels are increasingly suffering from lifestyle ailments, mostly related to stress. It is therefore important that you begin to take good care of your health and well-being right away. Prioritise yourself. 

Lastly, in-house lawyers are often wary of challenging the status quo, whether it is in their team, organisation, industry, or jurisdiction. Because of your pre-eminent role in compliance and risk management, you may sometimes be presented with the opportunity to voice your opinion on matters of critical importance. Do not hesitate to step up and say what needs to be said. You will never regret being transparent about your views. And for the same reason, be ready to be challenged. You will never regret that either.